Meningococcal vaccination campaign gets underway

By REBECCA WALSH

Parents will be asked from this week if they agree to have their children vaccinated against meningococcal disease in what is the biggest mass vaccination effort in the nation's recent history.

The long-awaited $200 million campaign to combat meningococcal disease, which kills an average 16 New Zealanders a year, aims to eventually vaccinate 90 per cent of people under 20.

Since 1991, meningococcal disease has killed 220 New Zealanders - 80 per cent of them children - and maimed hundreds more.

Free vaccinations in schools will start early next month but GPs will start vaccinations from today.

A total of 150,000 children in the Counties Manukau area and parts of Auckland's Eastern Corridor - considered the highest-risk area in the country - will be vaccinated first.

Kidz First public health nurse co-ordinator Elizabeth Farrell said the consent forms would be sent out as public health nurses made their way around schools in the area.

The consent form asked for information about the child's address, age and family doctor. It would also include health-related questions such as whether the child was allergic to any food or medicines, whether they had had any previous reactions to vaccinations and if they had any chronic illnesses such as epilepsy or diabetes.

Ms Farrell said parents would be contacted if there were any questions around the child's general health.

All children attending school must have parental consent to be vaccinated.

"We expect a high uptake because people know or have heard of people with meningococcal disease. It's not an illness we never see," she said.

The Ministry of Health is confident that because of the huge campaign to promote vaccination it can improve on previous coverage rates - a national survey in 1992 showed just under 60 per cent coverage rate for vaccination in general.

Dr Nikki Turner, director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre at Auckland University, hoped the coverage rate would be higher than 90 per cent.

"Because it's an epidemic is the bottom line. Because the amount of bugs in circulation in New Zealand is high enough to put my children at threat. I'm scared for my kids."

Dr Turner said people needed to know the vaccine would hurt. Some children would a get red, sore patch where the jab went in and would have sore legs and arms.

"The one thing you can say for that is that at least you know your immune system is working and you are responding to the vaccine."

Campaign strategy

Consent forms for the meningococcal vaccination campaign go out from today. What happens?

* Public health nurses will start distributing the consent forms through schools in the most at-risk area - South Auckland and parts of east Auckland.

* Many schools will hold assemblies to explain the process.

* Consent forms go to parents or guardians to sign.

* The forms give information on whether the vaccine is safe, possible reactions and meningococcal disease.

* The form asks if a child has ever had a serious reaction to immunisation, serious allergies or has a serious medical condition.

* Nurses will then go to schools to give the vaccine to children whose parents agreed on the forms.